What's the difference between Dirty and Iced Latte? Is Dirty coffee just an ice-free latte?

Introduction

Since Dirty and iced latte are made with the same ingredients—iced milk plus espresso—and their appearance is nearly identical, both featuring the layered structure created by milk and espresso, FrontStreet Coffee is often asked by customers drinking iced lattes: "Both are iced milk with espresso, so what exactly is the difference between Dirty and iced latte?"

Although the similarity between these two drinks is extremely high and they use identical ingredients, their preparation methods and drinking experiences are vastly different. Especially for Dirty, there are specific points that require special attention during both preparation and consumption! So today, FrontStreet Coffee will share the answer to this question that everyone is curious about: What exactly are the differences between Dirty and iced latte! First, let's briefly understand what an iced latte is and what Dirty is~

What are Iced Latte and Dirty?

The so-called iced latte is simply the cold version of latte coffee. Like hot latte, it is made with a large amount of milk plus espresso. The only difference is that chilled milk no longer needs to be frothed into milk foam and is directly poured into a cup to wait for fusion with the espresso. To maintain the low temperature of the latte for an extended period, we usually add some ice cubes when making iced latte to keep it cold. Then before drinking, it is stirred evenly with a straw before tasting.

Dirty is also made using iced milk and espresso, and the pouring order into the cup is the same: first pour iced milk into an iced glass, then slowly drizzle espresso over the milk surface. Because the espresso floating on the surface of the iced milk will slowly penetrate downward, "staining" the milk and making it look dirty, this coffee drink was named "Dirty"—Dirty translates to "dirty" in English. When drinking Dirty, no stirring is needed—just take large sips~

Differences Between Iced Latte and Dirty

Actually, from these two brief introductions, we can see the similarities and many differences in the preparation of iced latte and Dirty. Next, FrontStreet Coffee will analyze in detail what differences exist between iced latte and Dirty~

1. Different Cup Sizes

First is the difference in cup size. Generally, Dirty's cup size is smaller than iced latte's. Dirty's cup size is typically between 180-220ml, while iced latte is generally between 280-320ml.

2. Presence or Absence of Ice

The reason for the difference in cup size is the presence or absence of ice. As FrontStreet Coffee mentioned earlier, to keep iced latte cold for an extended period, ice cubes are added for cooling, while Dirty does not need them as this would diminish the drinking experience. This results in iced latte having a larger cup size than Dirty, and Dirty is often jokingly referred to as "iced latte without ice."

It's worth noting that ice is not a strict requirement. When we don't want ice in our coffee, we can request the barista to make it "no ice" to remove the ice cubes from the iced latte~

3. Cup Temperature

Since Dirty doesn't add ice for cooling to ensure a better drinking experience, it needs other ways to achieve the same effect. For example: a colder cup! By chilling the cup, it gains certain cooling properties. Compared to room temperature cups, chilled iced glasses not only better maintain the milk's low temperature but also enhance the layered effect between milk and espresso, because when milk temperature is lower, its density is higher, making the layering effect more outstanding. Iced latte doesn't have high requirements for cup temperature—chilled or room temperature both work.

4. Layer Creation

The layered structure with espresso on top and milk below exists in both iced latte and Dirty. Because of this, many coffee beginners cannot distinguish between the two. In reality, the essence of their layering is quite different. The layering in iced latte is created for aesthetic purposes. Compared to the monotonous color of mixed coffee and milk, the distinct black and white appearance is more pleasing to the eye. Therefore, when making iced latte, people intentionally pour espresso over ice cubes, which eliminates the impact force of the espresso, allowing it to float on the milk and form a layered effect. But since it will be stirred eventually, whether there's layering or not doesn't really matter.

The reason for creating layers in Dirty, however, is to give the coffee a unique drinking texture and experience. This layering is Dirty's main selling point and can be said to be its soul. Therefore, when making Dirty, we need to control various details to separate the espresso and milk more thoroughly. For example, using iced glasses, controlling milk temperature, or reducing the distance between espresso extraction and milk.

If Dirty doesn't achieve the layered effect, it won't have that distinct texture and experience, and it can then truly be called an iced latte without ice. The above are the differences in their preparation. Next, FrontStreet Coffee will share their differences in drinking methods and taste.

Drinking Methods and Taste Differences

As FrontStreet Coffee has consistently mentioned, the key and soul of Dirty come from the deliberately created layers of espresso and milk. Because the milk and espresso are separated, their temperatures and flavors haven't fully blended. If you drink both together in one sip, our mouth and taste buds will experience the extreme contrast from the layers: the coldness of milk versus the heat of espresso, the sweetness of lactose versus the bitterness of coffee—they will collide and intertwine in the mouth, creating a very rich layering experience. To experience this effect, we need to take large sips when drinking Dirty, allowing us to taste both the floating espresso on the surface and the milk at the bottom simultaneously. But if you only take small sips, you'll likely only taste the espresso on the surface, which could be considered "torture" for friends who can't handle bitterness well.

Iced latte, on the other hand, is less particular. As FrontStreet Coffee mentioned in the post "Why is latte the 'TOP 1' seller in almost every coffee shop?", latte focuses more on making coffee less bitter, which is why a large amount of milk is added to balance the bitterness of coffee! So the drinking method for iced latte is simple—we just need to stir the milk and espresso evenly with a straw before drinking, and then we can begin to enjoy the balanced flavor created by the fusion of coffee and milk~

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